Comatose
by kankoku
Summary: Dick Grayson is in a coma, thus his friends and family worry. *Please read and review!*
1. Bruce

**A/N:** So, hi. I am not dead! This is a collection of internal monologues I wrote for a class and I thought they turned out pretty nice. Thanks for reading!

Bruce Tells His Son How Much He Cares About Him (And Blames Himself For Everything)

That battle was awful; I'll be the first to admit. You'd say it was "so gosh-darn thrilling" or that the "serious business danger was so serious you could literally see the Wall Street conference table," in your bizarre, joking way. You'd laugh and go along your merry way, to the kitchen to greet Alfred with your bright smile and shining azure eyes, telling all about how the "Dynamic Duo saved the day once again!" But, you're not right now.

Now, you're pallid with dark circles under your lidded eyes. You're littered with cuts and bruises, the worst of it on your neck. Deep purple, black, and blue mar porcelain skin. You have a severe protuberance on the side of your head. Medically speaking, you're comatose, induced by asphyxiation and head trauma. What happened, son, if you don't remember, is you were being choked before you fell. You couldn't breathe, couldn't right yourself in the air to fall how you'd been trained. You fell three feet, five and a half inches, onto your head. You've been out for three days. I…I'm sorry. It's my fault for not being there when I was needed. I have no excuse, as your mentor and especially as your father.

...I don't act like a father, do I? I distance myself from you so much. Your late parents never did that to you. They always stayed right by your side and reminded you that they loved you. You'd say that it's not my fault; that I'm a busy man and that it's understandable that I don't have time for you. But, you see, son, I do have time for you. And when I don't, I want to make time to spend with you. I don't because I don't want you to get hurt. Everyone who I care about or who gets close to me gets hurt or really, killed, and I won't let that happen to you. I _can't_ let that happen to you.

I know you're comatose, but I need you to know something: you are my son and I am proud of you. There is not a day that passes that I don't love you. I know I don't tell you that often enough, but it's true. I don't know how to express to you that I am proud of you, Dick. I know you'd say that you understand, that you know it's because when someone has a genius IQ, their brain cannot process emotions the same way normal people can. You'd never stop to consider any other possibility; like that I don't display emotion because I choose not to. You're more understanding than anyone else I know. You still look up to me, no matter what.

…Am I like that to you: understanding and compassionate? I must not come across that way at all. I seem so emotionless. I act like I don't care. How can you see me as a good role model? I am so stubborn, so vengeful and so dark and so angry. I'm broken and hateful. I am a man living two lives to compensate for that: the billionaire and the Bat. I hate myself. Do you see me the same way, Dickie? Do you hate me as much as I hate me?

You should, but you don't. Why? I cannot wrap my head around that.

Dick, I doubt I'll ever understand you. You are the light to my darkness and I thank you for that. I'll be here for you from now on, whenever you need me. I'll be here when you wake up. When you get better, we can go shoot hoops. Does that sound good? I won't neglect you anymore. You're my ward. You've taught me that I don't need to be all by myself and that even I'm lovable. Thank you, son.


	2. Alfred

Alfred Allows Himself a Moment (and Reassures Bruce that Everything is Okay)

Dear Master Richard, what happened to you?

Here you are, comatose. And for what reason? Stopping some villain from nefarious acts is not your job. That's what the police are for. But, you, you are so noble and good that you take part in this illegal vigilante lifestyle Master Bruce adopted. You know that I do not approve, but you continue to do what you believe is the right thing. Despite your getting kidnapped and whatnot, making everyone worried.

You make me very proud. I know I don't say this enough. You are like a grandson to me.

Please wake up soon, sir. I shall prepare you your favourite meal: mushroom fettuccini.

* * *

Poor Master Bruce. You blame yourself for everything, especially when it comes to Master Richard. I know why. You know why.

But why do you continue to let it affect you?

You cannot control the universe. You cannot protect everyone. You simply cannot stop all evil. Yet, there you are. Please understand, sir, that I am not trying to hurt you; I am trying to help you. I rest my hand on shoulder to remind you that I am here and that everything will turn out all right. It always does. Please, sir, be filled with hope.


	3. Barbara

Barbara Explains Herself (and Cries over Her Friend)

You weren't at school again today and you won't answer your texts. What's going on with you? Are you sick? Are you so sick that you can't even text me?

* * *

I finally got tired of being ignored. Or, actually, I got really worried. That's right; you made me concerned for your well-being…why do you act like that's so weird?...

It's true: I packed up a wellness basket, loaded with soup, tea, and oranges, skipped gymnastics practice, and went to your house. Sorry if that's creepy, but you've gone and done it this time. And anyways, you come to my house whenever you're worried about me when I miss school. Hey, shut up! Even though you say it's because you're bored and you _have_ to bring me my missed work anyway, I know you're worried. You care. Dick, you don't need to hide it.

When I got to your house and asked for you, Alf said you were sick, like I thought. When we started talking, he let on that you had an accident and are recovering. His cracked dignity exposed this sorrow that I couldn't fathom until I figured it out. You're comatose. I asked Alf, "How long?" He slowly shook his head solemnly and told me you've been out for three days.

* * *

...You're like a wisp, aren't you? Or a kind ghost or an angel or something. You're charming and fun, but whenever I get too close or I'm nice to you, you disappear. We were talking a lot and now you disappeared again. Why? You have to wake up so I can talk to you. Talk to you about why I treat you the way I do. I'm sarcastic and sometimes catty because I like you a lot. You treat me the same right back, but you know when to call it quits and be nice. I want to be your friend, Dick, because I like you. You're one of the best people I've ever met. I regret being mean to you all the time, and I'm really sorry. I want to be nice, but whenever I am, you always seem to stop talking to me. You disappear like a wil o' the wisp.

Now look what you did; you made me cry.

Just…please wake up.


	4. Wally

Wally Reflects on What's Going On in His Life (and How Much He Misses His Friend)

You weren't here again today. I mean, obviously you weren't, but I didn't know you were in a coma until today. I just thought you _had_ to make a clone of yourself for your science homework, or that you were walking down the road when _suddenly_ you were in the Louvre, or you ran into a group of fangirls and you _had_ to sign autographs, or another one of those goofy excuses you use that end in a cheeky laugh. ...What happened to you?

* * *

You missed it today: I won. Y'know, fighting SB in training. Well, after I fell on my butt and lost my goggles, both sleeves on my favorite shirt, a shoe, and half a sock ( _don't ask_ ). You would've been in stitches! And you'd never let it go. "Wally has some tricks up his sleeves. Oh, wait...he doesn't have sleeves!" Insert your cheeky laugh. Hah!

…I miss you. I know it's only been three days, but, dude, I have so much to talk to you about. Today, we were _almost_ assigned a shadow mission (this was when Red Tornado told us about you). Other than that, my friend thought his dog died(but it was really like that weird show we watched where the dog wasn't dead and it was actually an alien), my parents _might_ let me get a hamster, I got a 117 percent on my 100-point science test (woo-hoo!), and, like, eleven thousand more things. But you're in a coma, so I can't tell you about any of that right now.

You know I can't visit you, even though I want to more than anything. Just to know that you're okay, that you're even still breathing.

You gotta wake up.

* * *

Dude, I just remembered: you lost the bet.

You remember the bet, don't you? We agreed that if you didn't get kidnapped or extremely hurt for two months, I would give you piggyback rides everyday for the rest of the year. Two months, dude. You were so close. And honestly, dude, even though you lost the bet, I feel like I lost. That sounds dumb or whatever, but it's true. You gotta wake up, dude. I miss you.

Red Tornado never said how critical you are, so just do me one favor: don't die. Wake up and come back to me, okay?


End file.
